PETER GABRIEL 1 [AKA: CAR]

Peter Gabriel´s first solo album after leaving Genesis in 1975 was released in 1977. Peter Gabriel will always stand as one of the greatest, most influential and innovative progressive singers in my book. His time with Genesis spawned some of the greatest prog rock albums ever and it was probably with terror that the fans learnt he had left the band after the tour for The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Genesis would never be the same again. While Genesis soldiered on with drummer Phil Collins taking over the lead vocal duties it seemed that Peter Gabriel vanished. But in 1977 he emerged with his debut solo album.

The music is very different from the music Peter Gabriel did with Genesis as the symphonic prog rock style is only present in glimpses on this album. The songs on this album are generally shorter and more simple than what Genesis normally stood for. Some people embrassed Peter Gabriel´s new sound and found it new and exciting while others like myself don´t really see many positive things about this new direction Peter has chosen.

The songs are not that memorable even though they are simple and the only songs that stand out for me is Moribund The Burgermeister ( Clearly the best track here and the one that sounds most like Genesis in the Lamb Lies Down period), Solsbury Hill, Down The Dolce Vita and the sing along like Here Comes The Flood. The rest is forgettable and not very exciting.

So many great musicians have contributed to the album and names like Tony Levin ( King Crimson, Liqiud Tension Experiment) and Robert Fripp ( King Crimson) should evoke some interest in a prog fans mind. The problem is that this music is so simple and boring that even with great musicians like this it all hits the ground with a bang. Peter Gabriel sings with conviction in some songs while he sounds tired and indifferent in others.

The sound quality is typical late seventies on the way to the eighties. It´s a bit cold if you ask me.

The cover art is good. I´ve always liked the picture of the blue car with raindrops on the windshield.

This is a very disappointing solo album from Peter Gabriel. His approach to rock music is certainly different than the norm but that don´t neccessarely mean that his approach is good. Even with the aforementioned partially good songs I can´t defend giving the album more than 2 stars. A great disappointment.